After rehashing the subject yesterday, the NHL still has no plans to implement stricter rules on hits to the head.

PITTSBURGH–After rehashing the subject yesterday, the NHL still has no plans to implement stricter rules on hits to the head.

"I'm not running for office here – I don't care if people agree with what I say. I'm telling you, there were 30 GMs in that room and there's no appetite for an automatic penalty (for a head check)," said Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke after he emerged from a meeting of general managers and presidents here.

The topic of head shots was, apparently, one of the more interesting discussions during the day-long gathering. And while the players are expected to push for a penalty for head checking when the competition committee meets this summer, Burke said the "existing penalties make sense" and are liked by managers.

"At some point, a player has a responsibility for keeping his head up, too," said Burke. "There's only two sports where there's no safe haven, where you can step out of bounds and be safe. That's mixed martial arts and hockey. There's a reason for that. It's supposed to be a tough physical game, and part of that is you've got to protect yourself. You have to avoid putting yourself in vulnerable positions.

"In the leagues where they've put in an automatic penalty, I think it's dramatically reduced hitting. We have no desire to reduce the amount of contact that takes place on our ice surface."

The OHL, for example, has an automatic two-minute minor penalty for a head check. The NHL, specifically disciplinarian Colin Campbell, reviews hits that cross the line for supplemental discipline.

"The managers' appetite was to keep it the same, do a little more education with the players, but it's part of our game," said Campbell. "We don't like when a player gets hurt, but it happens. It's part of the game that fans have come to accept, and (the GMs) didn't have an appetite to get rid of it."

Though less sensational, the league also yesterday approved a Burke initiative – something for which he says he has been pushing since 1994 – to create an award for GM of the year. Details have yet to be worked out, but it should be presented for the first time at the end of next season.

Burke said he has also been busy trying to improve the Leafs.

He said he has been "throwing deals at teams" in an on-going attempt to move up from Toronto's seventh spot in the draft.

"We're going to beat this thing absolutely to death. If we can move up, we're going to," said Burke.

He also said Jonas Gustavsson, the Swedish free agent goaltender the Leafs are pursuing, will come to North America in about two weeks to visit the three NHL cities he is most interested in signing with.

Toronto is one of them; the others are believed to be Dallas and San Jose.

Burke had no update on the status of Mikhail Grabovski, the Leafs' restricted free agent winger, but said he's hoping to get him signed.

"He's a good player, he had a good year and he's a good kid.

"I'd like to keep him."

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